The Common Life
by mecaka
Summary: What if Rapunzel hadn't realized she was the lost princess? How would Rapunzel and Eugene's lives have changed? A story exploring their marriage, family, and eventual discovery of Rapunzel's true identity. ALT-ENDING.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my idea of what would have happened if Rapunzel hadn't realized she was the lost princess ('cuz that was really unlikely), and how she and Eugene would have (eventually) found this out.**

Chapter 1

Eugene jumped from Max's back, and hit the ground running. When he reached the base of Rapunzel's tower, he stared up at the shut window. "Rapunzel? Rapunzel, let down your hair!" he called up to her, hoping she would hear him, hoping she would listen. He briefly waited, then started climbing up on his own. He realized how impossible this would be without the arrows he had used the last time he had climbed the side of this very tower.

Suddenly, the window was thrown open, and her hair came pouring out. A smile lit his face. _She's safe,_ he thought. He had no idea what she might be thinking, but it was probably along the lines of 'Why did you abandon me, Eugene?' He hoped that he could make her understand.

* * *

_Earlier..._

Rapunzel laid back on her bed. Her mother had just finished undoing the elaborate, beautiful braid she had gotten in town, and was probably about to burn the flowers that had been tucked throughout her hair. Pascal turned the same shade of blue as the bedspread, and comfortingly laid against her arm. She glanced at him, her expression somber. Mother had told her to forget what had happened, claiming it would be easier than clinging to the happier of the depressing memories. She sighed deeply. _I can't believe Eugene did this to me_, she thought sadly.

She refused to forget. She unclenched her fist, where she had been concealing the little flag Eugene had bought her. He had seemed so happy with her. Had she done something wrong? Or was he just really good at hiding his true feelings?

"Rapunzel! The hazelnut soup is ready, dear!" her mother called up from below.

"Coming, Mother," Rapunzel called back. She stuffed the little flag into one her pillows, wanting to make sure her mother didn't find it and get rid of it. As she walked down the stairs, she tried to cheer herself up, but the only happy things she could think of were memories of Eugene. _He's probably gone, on a deserted island, just like he wanted_, she thought bitterly.

She sat at the table, across from her mother, who was ladling out soup into their bowls. "It's so nice having you back home, Rapunzel. Now, eat up!" her mother sounded so happy.

"I miss Eugene," Rapunzel suddenly said, absently.

"Rapunzel, you need to forget about that thief! He's probably dead by now, anyways. You'll never see him again!"

"Dead? Why would he be dead?" Rapunzel was stunned. Why would her mother say such a thing?

"Oh, well... I, um... I saw those two thugs tie him to the boat, with the crown in plain view. They set it up so he'd be arrested! His crimes were to be punished with death, so... he's probably dead by now..." her mother seemed a little flustered.

"But, Mother... you said that... that you saw him trade me for the crown... That he abandoned me!"

"Oh, did I?"

Rapunzel was thinking. How would those two goons, who were able to be surprised by an old women, come up with that devious of a plan? She realized then, that someone else was behind this. "It was you," she murmured, stumbling upon the truth. She stood up, understanding etching its way across her features. Her spoon dropped from her hand, and her gaze turned to her mother.

"Rapunzel, you know how I feel about the—"

"It was all YOU!" Rapunzel said loudly. "YOU set up Eugene to get arrested, then knocked out your henchmen to get away with it."

Her mother was clearly stunned. "Rapunzel, now why would I do such a thing? Do you really believe that—"

"You've kept me locked up here, afraid of the world, just so that... so that you could stay young! I have to go find Eugene... I have to save him..." Rapunzel was making her way towards the window.

"You want me to be the bad guy? Fine, now I'm the bad guy..." said Gothel, menacingly. She saw the frying pan Rapunzel had had with her on her 'journey'. Gothel picked it up, and stalked towards the window.

* * *

_Now..._

Eugene reached the top of the tower, and pulled himself into the window. "Rapunzel, I never thought I'd—" he stopped short, stunned to see Rapunzel chained and gagged. She was trying to say something.

Suddenly, a sharp pain bloomed in his side. A woman pulled the dagger back out of him and stepped over him when he fell. She was saying something, but he couldn't really understand. He was staring at Rapunzel, clutching his side. His side felt warm and sticky. Rapunzel looked really upset. The woman was trying to force her down a set of stairs, Rapunzel fighting her all the way, trying to get to him. When she knocked the gag off, he forced himself to focus on what she was saying: "... but if you let me heal him, I will go with you..."

"No, Rapunzel," he forced out. He couldn't let her do this! Her spirit, her freedom, her personality would die!

The woman removed Rapunzels' chains, and put them on him instead. She said something in his ear he couldn't quite comprehend. Rapunzel was there suddenlly, and she started talking, but he kept calling to her, wanting to tell her something. His right hand brushed something sharp, and he gripped it. He knew how to save her. "Rapunzel. I can't let you do this!"

"And I can't let you die."

"But, if... you do this, then...you will... die..."

"Shh, shh. It's gonna be alright."

She opened her mouth, about to begin the healing song. "Rapunzel, wait." She leaned towards him, and he lifted his hand to the back of her head. He gripped her hair, making sure to get all of it, and then he sliced through it, just below her shoulders (**I know, I know, longer than in the movie... I don't care! I wanted it to turn out longer...**). She gasped. SHe turned around, as the old woman started shouting. He didn't pay attention, instead watching Rapunzel's now brown head. She turned back to him, and put his hand to her head, trying to heal him. He kept saying her name, needing to tell her something, now that he was so close to death. "Rapunzel."

"What?" tears brimming in her eyes.

"You were my new dream," he whispered, smiling as much as he could.

"And you were mine!"

He closed his eyes, and almost panicked when he couldn't get them open again. Then, everything slipped away.

* * *

His eyes opened, and he saw Rapunzel leaning over him, confusion written all over his face. He smiled up at her.

"Did I ever tell you I've got a thing for brunettes?"

**A/N: :) Like that chapter ending?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: OH. MY. GOSH! Seriously, people? I am so happy right now! I have 5 reviews, 4 follows, 3 favorites, and **_**126**_** views on my story. It hasn't even been up for a day! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! (Now if I could just get that much on my FictionPress story… that's been up for, like, a month…)**

**Thank you to "Guest" for your review!**

**In case anyone didn't know… I don't know own Tangled :(**

Chapter 2

"Eugene, I can't believe you're alive!" Rapunzel had been smiling non-stop since they had left the tower. "I just can't believe it!"

"Trust me, Blondie, I can't believe it either," Eugene replied. "I guess I need to come up with a new nickname for you, now that your hair's brown."

"No! I like it when you call me Blondie!"

"Rapunzel, your hair isn't blonde anymore…"

"So? It'll be our private joke, sort of."

"Alright… Blondie," he said with a smile.

"Eugene, I just realized something. Mother told me that you had been arrested, and that you were to be hanged. How'd you get escape the castle?"

"Maximus saw me get arrested, I think. Then he went and found those guys we met at the Snuggly Duckling. Somehow, they got inside and busted me out. They came just in time, too. I was being escorted to the noose when they showed up."

"We need to go thank them!" she exclaimed, clearly excited about getting to see her favorite pub thugs again. Eugene, on the other hand, didn't seem that thrilled.

"Rapunzel, we don't have any clue if they made it out or not. They might have gotten arrested for freeing me."

"The least we can do is go and see if they're there." she was adamant. They were GOING to the Snuggly Duckling. He could see Pascal glaring at him from her shoulder.

"Alright," replied Eugene, caving to the love of his life, and her terrifying frog.

* * *

Thankfully, all the pub thugss had made it out of the castle. In fact, few had even been injured. They were all very happy to see Rapunzel again, though they were curious as to why her hair was short and brown now. She tactfully evaded their questions, still shy about the subject of her magic hair. As the thugs told of their exploits at the castle (a lot of it in song), and of how Max had had to play charades to get their help, they began to notice how Rapunzel and Eugene (as they had been told his name was) were treating each other. They were acting like a lot more than friends, often losing themselves in the other's eyes.

"Rapunzel, how was your dream?" asked the thug with the big nose. "Did you enjoy the lanterns?"

"They were amazing! They were floating all around us, and Eugene even brought a couple for us to send off. It was so sweet of him." She proceeded to describe how the lanterns had reflected off the water, and how she had "rescued" one that was falling. "I even got to find out what my new dream is," she finished, turning toward Eugene again, a smile gracing her face. No one bothered asking what the new dream was; it was extremely obvious that she and the thief-turned-hero were in love.

* * *

As the afternoon turned to evening, and the evening to night, the various "pub thugs" began heading home. Rapunzel and Eugene eventually left, as well. As they walked away, Rapunzel noticed that Eugene was taking a route that would lead them to the tower.

"Where are we going," she asked, though she already knew.

"Well," Eugene started, guessing that she knew perfectly well where, "since we don't really have a place to stay at the moment, I thought it would be best if we just stayed in the tower. All that really needs done is getting rid of the hair, the broken mirror, and the chains."

"Okay," Rapunzel knew that this made sense. Where else could they go? "But I want to get out of the tower as soon as possible."

"Ra—Blondie, I completely understand. But, I'm wanted by the kingdom, so we can't just move anywhere. We might need to stay in the tower until the kingdom forgets about me a little bit. Hopefully, they'll calm down soon, but I can't guarantee anything."

She hadn't even considered that. The kingdom was after Flynn (Eugene), because of everything he'd done. And now, he'd escaped prison and a death sentence. She wondered if things would ever calm down. "Could we start spreading rumors that Flynn Rider died? It wouldn't be lying, because you did."

"That might help some," Eugene said. He began considering that. If he didn't steal anything ever again, and Rapunzel and the pub thugs started spreading rumors that he had died somehow, that might speed up the process.

They continued on their way in silence, both thinking hard about ways they could help the kingdom forget about Flynn Rider. Eventually, they came to the tower. They went up the hidden staircase that Gothel had tried to force Rapunzel down, just a few hours previously. Rapunzel gathered up all the hair, and carefully braided it, making sure to get every strand. She didn't really want to get rid of something that had been a part of her for her whole life. When she finished the braid, she stuffed the hair into the green closet she had hidden Flynn in two mornings ago. She smiled, remembering how excited she had been to show the unconscious man to her mother, thinking it was decisive proof that she could handle herself out in the world.

Meanwhile, Flynn swept up all the broken shards of glass. He placed them in a small basket, thinking Rapunzel could use them in her artwork later. Then he moved the mirror's frame into Gothel's bedroom. Neither of them were willing to use the old crone's bed. Finally, he gathered up the chains and moved them to Gothel's room as well. He realized then how exhausted he was. He went back out into the main room. "Hey, Blondie?"

"Yes, Eugene?" Rapunzel turned to him. She was grinning from ear to ear. Pascal was smiling to, still perched on her shoulder.

"What are the sleeping arrangements going to be? I mean, I'm not comfortable sleeping on your mother's bed, considering she killed me and all…" he trailed off, waiting for her response.

"We could share my—"

"No! That… we're not sharing your bed, Rapunzel."

She seemed to understand, suddenly, what that implied. Her cheeks turned crimson-red. "Oh. Well, you could sleep down here on the floor, I guess. We could start a fire, though it isn't that cold out, and you could use a couple of the extra quilts I've got."

"That'd be great, Rapunzel."

"You don't mind sleeping n the floor?"

"Nah, I'm used to it. Life as a thief…"

* * *

The next morning, Rapunzel woke him up at the crack of dawn. He realized that she must be a morning person; she was completely awake, dressed, her hair had been brushed, and he could smell breakfast cooking.

"Good morning, Eugene!"

"Morning, Blondie… What time is it?"

"7. I overslept today; I guess we stayed up kind of late last night."

"Wait. You get up _before_ seven… _everyday_?" he was shocked. He never got up this early, unless he had to for some scheme he was pulling.

"Yeah," Rapunzel said, looking confused. Didn't everyone get up early? Carpe diem? "Doesn't everyone get up early?"

"Not really, Blondie… maybe if their job requires it, but a lot of people sleep past 7am on a regular basis."

"Oh," she said, sounding very surprised.

"Speaking of jobs, by the way, how are we supposed to get food and other necessities? It's not like I'm going to be able to go to town, but we'll need to get food." He had gone to the table, and was sitting down as he spoke. She brought two plates from the kitchen. He could smell the eggs and bacon.

"Well, I think mother might have had a garden nearby. I don't think she had a job, and she must have gotten all the vegetables and things we ate from somewhere…" she trailed off, thinking. "If we needed money, we could always sell her furniture. We don't want it, do we?"

"No. The only problem is how we're going to get them out of the tower and into town," he answered, taking a bite of eggs. They were delicious.

"We'll think of something. In the meantime, we need to look for the garden. It's probably in this valley, though I'm not sure where."

He looked at her from across the table. She looked so cute when she was thinking. She was lightly biting her bottom lip, her eyebrows were slightly scrunched together. She was staring at the table, completely oblivious to his gaze. Her hand was resting on the table, and he reached out to take it in his own. She looked up when he touched her, a soft smile on her face. "I am so happy that you knocked me out with that frying pan."

She beamed at him, "Me, too."

**A/N: You like that ending? This chapter is a couple hundred words longer than the last one. I'm going to try and make each chapter 1000-1500 words. More reviews would be SO amazing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: 253 views now… :)**

**I want to thank all of my reviewers. They all mean so much to me! I'll be replying to reviews from guest reviewers here from now on.**

**Guest: YAY! Here's another update! I wasn't trying to make her dumb. If you're talking about the whole 'sharing the bed thing', she doesn't have any life experience, the only person she's ever been around is her mother… But she does understand how things work. And don't worry: this story is gonna stay K+!**

**PERSON: Awww… Thanks! I'm sorry for the spelling error. Apple Pages doesn't pick up on it when it's only one letter, and it doesn't have a grammar check like Word, so… And I meant to. Seriously. At the end of the last chapter, I was going to say "BTW, **_**carpe diem**_** means 'seize the day' in Latin"… I just completely forgot.**

**Chap by Chap: Yeah, I'm happy with it! Thanks for both your reviews. I would have said something at the beginning of the last chapter, but it was already posted :(**

**Again, the only Tangled related things I own are the DVD, and a Rapunzel Disney On Ice doll… :( Wish I owned the movie…**

Chapter 3

"Wow. How did I not know about this?" Rapunzel asked, rhetorically. "I mean, there's a huge garden over here for my whole life, and I don't know about it?"

They had located Gothel's garden. It was about 20 yards behind the tower. It had taken them about 20 seconds to find it.

"Well, the window doesn't really point in this direction… And when you left before, you weren't looking over here. You were to busy running out there."

"I suppose…" She didn't seem especially happy with his explanation. "Let's figure out what all of these are."

She and Eugene set out examining each row, hoping to find some clue as to the identity of the various vegetables. Rapunzel only had to briefly examine a plant to tell what it was. Eugene was hoping that Gothel had labeled the rows, becuase he was never going to remember all of them: there were at least a dozen different rows. He was happy, though. They'd have a way of eating until the heat around him died down. Rapunzel might still need to make a few runs to town for bread every now and again, but they should be fine.

"Rapunzel?" he called. "I'm going to run by one of my old hide-outs, get a bow and a couple knives."

Her head appeared above some type of bush. "Okay. How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"Not to long. I think we might have passed it on the way back here last night."

As Eugene walked off, he began thinking. They would really need to come with a death-story for Flynn Rider soon, to throw off the castle guards. Immediately, he realized he had thought 'we'. He really cared for Rapunzel. As his thoughts drifted to her, he wondered if he'd ever get used to her much shorter, brown hair. She was still so beautiful; and now, she sort of reminded him of… someone. He couldn't put his finger on who though. Before, she had reminded him of someone, too. He was entirely sure, though, that now she reminded him of someone else.

Presently, he came up to a small cave. From the outside, it appeared far too small to be of any use. But, as Flynn Rider, Eugene had discovered that it was because there a tunnel-like entrance that bent behind a large boulder. The cave opened up quite a bit the further you went in. As he stooped to get in, he realized he didn't have a lantern. _Oh well… I believe there is one in here, somewhere_. He groped around a bit in the dark, searching for the lantern. Finally locating it, he was happy to recall that he had stuck matches to the bottom of several of his lanterns, so he wouldn't have to search for them in the dark as well. He struck a match at lit the small lantern, and began to look around the cave. He quickly found his bow, several arrows, and two hunting knives. They would be set on meat now, too.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rapunzel had finished determining each of the vegetables growing in the garden. She had also discovered some fruit trees on the other side of the garden, as well. She went back into the tower, and made some little signs, one for each vegetable. She painted each one with a miniature picture of what the vegetable was, and then the name beneath it. She was enjoying doing something useful with her paints. While the sketches she had done all over the walls were beautiful, they didn't serve any purpose.

She wondered if there were enough vegetables to sell at the market in town. It would be a great source of income in the fall. She thought about the tower. She doubted that it legally existed. Gothel hadn't wanted anyone to know about it, so she probably hadn't bought the land paid taxes on it. Basically, it was a free place to live for herself and Eugene. _Maybe it's better if we stay_, she thought.

After finishing the little signs, she took them down to the garden and began placing them. She had put them all in a basket, and now used it for gathering up some vegetables to begin making lunch.

She had been surprised earlier, at the condition she had found the plants in. Gothel had tended to them tirelessly, it appeared. There were only a few weeds in the entire garden, and only a few plants didn't appear to be healthy. She had no idea when Gothel found the time to tend to it.

After heading back to the tower once again, she set about making lunch. She decided on making a light vegetable soup for them. She pulled out a large pot, filled it with water from a barrel in the corner, and started a fire for it to heat over. Then she began slicing the vegetables. Presently, she heard footsteps coming up the steps. Eugene came into the main room, carrying a bow and several arrows. There were two knives in his belt.

"Hi, Eugene!"

"Hey, Blondie. What've you been up to?"

"Well, I made little signs for the different vegetables in the garden, and I also found several fruit trees on the other side of it. I was thinking, we could sell some of the excess vegetables and fruits at the market in town. We could save some of the money for a place in town once things cool down, and maybe use some of it to buy bread and other stuff. I could also sell candles, pots, small paintings, baked goods, dresses, and a bunch of other stuff."

"That's a great idea, Rapunzel! Speaking of things cooling down, we need to figure out how Flynn Rider died. Personally, I think he should go down in a blaze of glory, but that might not work that well… Your thoughts?"

"I don't know," she said, still chopping up vegetables. She picked up the cutting board and went to dump the contents into the boiling pot. As she went back to the kitchen she stopped. "Maybe he tried to steal from the thugs who rescued him, so they all turned on him? I think that would be a pretty believable story if they told it, because they didn't seem to especially like you as Flynn Rider. They'd probably get really into it."

"Not bad, Blondie… We should probably ask them first, though."

Rapunzel's smile grew from a grin at the continued use of her nickname, to an excited mouth drop at the prospect of seeing her favorite pub thugs again so soon.

* * *

Eugene wasn't at all surprised how quickly the pub thugs accepted the task. He knew it was partially because they didn't like Flynn Rider, but it was mostly because they really like Rapunzel. She got them to do another musical number (he couldn't remember what it was about), and then he and Atilla had started swapping stories of their own near-death experiences. Pretty soon the guy with a hook for a hand got involved (what was his name?) and then Vlad and a bunch of other people, too. Before he knew it, Ulf was acting out their stories (surprisingly well), and it had turned into a contest of who could tell their story the most dramatically.

As they left, the hook handed guy (he seriously couldn't remember the guy's name) had promised they would work on a good death story for Flynn. Leslie (the guy with the big nose and dreams of romance), stopped Rapunzel on the way out, giving her a little flower he'd found. She wished him luck in finding true love, optimistically believing that the guy could.

Eugene stopped, suddenly, on their way back to the tower. "Where'd Max go?"

"I don't know. He must have felt he needed to go back to the castle. He does work and live there."

"Man, I hope he doesn't try to turn me in. He only promised you 24 hours."

"Yes, but after that was up, he busted you out of jail. I doubt he'll try to get you arrested."

He looked at her. She was so optimistic about everything. He didn't know how that had happened, considering her mother had raised her to be afraid of the world. Pascal was riding on her shoulder again… and he looked just as optimistic as Rapunzel did. If the frog didn't think Max was coming for him, he should be okay.

**A/N: Can I get some suggestions on what Hookhand's name should be? I want all of the important pub thugs to have real names, and he was one of the two that didn't already have a name. I don't know what it should be… Also, feel free to give me ideas on what Flynn's death story should be! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry this took a little longer than normal… I would have updated Thursday, but I spent the day with one of my friends (who I don't get to see a lot…). I would have updated yesterday, but I lost track of time… Anyways, there are 555 views on my story now! :)**

**Response to guest reviewers:**

**Person: Hey, little sis! Thanks for the review! And no, his name is NOT going to be Francis…**

**Chap by chap: It's going great! Aw, I'm one of your favorite writers? *blush* I agree his name should be pianist-y, but also have a backstory…**

**Kramy1223: I'm pretty impressed that this many people are reading my story! I'm so happy with everything about this!**

**Questionare: ****1) They already did! I didn't change what happened immediately after the "thing for brunettes" line, so they kissed there as they did in the movie. 2) ****I'll try to be! I have noticed that I don't seem to be extremely descriptive... 3) ****It was his hidey-hole. He kept weapons and supplies in there. 4) ****Right now! 5) ****I put this story in Humor & Family… There might be some minor tragedies, but it's really not going to get much more 'interesting' than this (unless you consider some chapters from the viewpoints of her parents to be 'interesting'). 6) ****I sure hope so! 7) ****I hope I am! I would love to be considered an awesome writer! :D**

**olivia: Thanks for your suggestion. I'm not going to write that part yet, so I'll think about. However, I'm leaning very heavily towards Umbre0n's suggestion of it getting out of hand… Your's might get incorporated!**

**Well, now that my author's note is more than half a page, let's get to the good part (I still do not own the rights to Tangled…)!**

Chapter 4

"Darling, you need to stop getting your hopes up every year. The disappointment that always follows is not good for you, and I hate seeing you so miserable."

"Just because you've given up all hope does not mean that I should."

King Edmund looked at his wife sadly. "I haven't given up hope, yet. I just have very little left, and I don't allow the festival to increase what little is there."

The queen was sitting in her favorite arm chair, facing a large window that looked out over the kingdom. He had walked in to find his wife crying silently, while staring out at their town. He went to her and kneeled in front of her.

"I miss her, too. I'm just looking at the issue realistically: if she hasn't come back yet, she probably never will. I want her to, but we will probably never see our daughter again."

This brought fresh tears to Susan's green eyes. She stared out the window for a few moments, then brought her gaze directly into his blue eyes. "I know you are right, but I can't lose hope. It is the only thing I have left."

He brought his hand to her cheek, wiping away the new tears with his thumb, just as she had done for him on their daughter's eighteenth birthday. It had been a month since then.

"How about we take a little trip into town. We can go with just a couple of guards tailing us discreetly, and we can dress in our poorest looking clothes, and we can just pretend we aren't the grieving king and queen that we are. How does that sound, dearest?" he asked her, smiling a little smile.

She smiled sadly back at him.

"It sounds heavenly."

* * *

Rapunzel went into the market, pushing a hand cart filled with candles and pots and pies and tarts and flowers and vegetables and fruits. Her paints were loaded on the cart, as well. Eugene had helped her get it as far as the bridge to the town, but had hung back, saying he didn't want to risk anything. She had a feeling he was going to be at the Snuggly Duckling, helping their friends come up with a good story for Flynn's death.

This was her first time at the market. She hoped she would be able to make some money. Now, she just needed to find out where she could set up.

A short, pudgy man who was dressed slightly better than everyone else she had passed by stopped her. He was holding a ledger and pencil. His spectacles were sitting on the end of his nose, making it appear as though he was looking down his nose at everything.

"Is this your first time at the market?"

Rapunzel realized this man must be the official in charge of organizing the market. She glanced down the street, and saw that everyone appeared to have a designated booth, and that the booths were arranged by what was being sold. "Yes, it is."

"Well, luckily, I've got a booth in between crafts and foods whose usual seller hasn't shown up in a month. Name?"

"Rapunzel," she replied. When he glanced up at her, she realized she needed to give a last name as well. "Gothel." It was the first thing that came to mind, other than Fitzherbert. She wasn't going to use his name, not until he wanted her to.

The man seemed surprised with her response. "Any relation to Cassandra Gothel?"

She frowned. "Yes, she was my mother."

His eyes widened. "Really? Well, that's her stall you'll be using. So, where's Cassandra been—Wait. _Was_ your mother?"

Rapunzel looked down. She took a deep breath, and replied, "Yes. She passed away a month ago." She had not been expecting someone to know her mother. She wasn't prepared for people who might _miss_ her mother. Rapunzel had thought that she wouldn't have made friends, wouldn't have known anyone. While she did miss her some, she wasn't really all that sad that Gothel was gone.

The man's eyes had gotten misty. "I'm sorry to hear that. She was a fine woman, your mother was."

She tried to not look surprised, or angry, at what he said. _A fine woman? You didn't know her at all, did you? What kind of _finewoman_ keeps her daughter locked in a tower for her whole life?_

Her eyes had begun to fill with angry tears, but he obviously thought that he had brought back sad memories. "There, there, Rapunzel. You'll be all right. Now, let me show you to your stand."

* * *

Susan and Edmund were having a grand time. She felt as though she were on holiday. As far as she knew, they hadn't been recognized by anyone. They had two guards tailing them, but they weren't being obvious.

"Ed, let's go to the market. I love looking at all the little crafts one can find there."

He just smiled and nodded. His wife was looking as though she felt young again. They usually went into town and toured the market and various shops, just to get a feel for their people, and let them know they cared. Today, though, they were trying to get away.

As they wandered along a street full of market stalls, they came upon one situated between foodstuffs and crafts. The young woman had, apparently, just arrived, as she was still unloading a hand cart full of fresh vegetables, fruits, baked goods, and various crafty wares. She was carefully arranging the foodstuffs on one side, and the crafts on the other. Her chocolate brown hair fell to just past shoulder length, and contrasted with the light pinks and purples of her dress. She turned, suddenly, and faced them.

"Hi!" She was smiling brightly, her cheeks slightly flushed. She pushed some of her hair behind her ear, was pulling her fingers through the locks. A look of surprise was quickly followed by realization and sadness, but were quickly wiped away by another smile. The two emotions that had crossed her face were fleeting. Susan wondered at what they could have meant. However, she could sense this girl wouldn't be willing to discuss it.

"Hello," she said, realizing she and her husband had been standing silent, staring at the girl. She lightly elbowed her husband, and turned her attention to the various things the girl was selling. She noticed that all of the crafts she was selling were beautifully hand-made. "Did you make all of these?" she asked the girl, gesturing to the stacked pots and bowls, the candles, and the paintings.

"Yes, I did. I also made all of these," she replied, gesturing to the baked goods, "and grew these," gesturing to the baskets of vegetables and fruits. "I'm also willing to do portraits, painted or sketched."

Susan and Ed looked at each other then. They both knew that the other was thinking the same thing as themselves: _We haven't had a portrait done of us in years._

"We'd love to sit for one, wouldn't we, Ed?"

"Of course, darling."

"Really? Great! Let me just get my—" she glanced back at them from where she was sorting through the remaining items in the hand cart. "Painted or sketched?"

"Painted," they said at the same time.

* * *

Eugene had done his best to explain to her the different prices she should be charging for each thing. She was glad that he had, but she also knew that paintings were typically pretty expensive, especially on the size of canvas they had chosen. She looked them over again. They were dressed rather nicely. Perhaps they were rather wealthy. She realized that most people probably realized the value of a portrait: they wouldn't have asked for one if they couldn't afford it.

She had posed the couple in front of a fountain nearby; actually, she had them seated on the edge of it. She had sketched the two and the fountain deftly, then added a few lines for the buildings behind them. She wanted the focus to be on the couple, obviously, then on the fountain. The background would just be blurred, to move the eye away from it.

As she painted, she lost herself in her own little world. She began to notice little things around her, losing the buildings and people into the blur they would become in the painting. She had realized that many of the two-story buildings were shops with living spaces above them. She could imagine having a little shop, with she Eugene and their family in the space above. A flower garden in the back, their children able to play outside whenever they wanted. Friends and neighbors dropping by for a chat…

When she had finished the painting, she moved back to her stall. The woman in the stall next to her had been watching it for her. She was so nice! She had offered to watch the stall for Rapunzel, and had pointed out the little fountain nearby. "You won't ge' a chance li' this every day, lassie!"

She set the canvas up to dry, and promised the couple they would be able to take it home later that evening. She sighed, remembering her daydreams from earlier. _Our family_, she thought, not even needing to wonder if she and Eugene would get married.

**A/N: Was that a cute enough ending for you? You guys are really lucky, this chapter turned out to be 1561 words long (not including the author's notes…). Feel free to rant about the wait in your reviews! :)**

**I need to be straight with you guys. If you have already visited my profile, you'll know that I'm a nerd, and that I'm in a gifted/talented program. Well, this program happens to require us to do a GIANT project between 2****nd**** semester of junior year and 1****st**** semester of senior year. I happen to be behind. On top of that problem, I'm behind on my English summer assignment, so there are going to be times when I am forced to work on those things, rather than on this. I spoiled you guys the first couple of updates coming everyday, because I had extra time and was getting reviews and tons of views. Don't expect that from now on, okay? You'll just be disappointed… :\ Sorry!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Holy chiz, guys… 956 views?! THAT'S INSANE! :)**

**Just to give you fair warning, this story isn't always going to be continuous. After this chapter, I'm probably going to jump several months to the next. After they get married, it's probably going to jump years at a time, until I get to where the "main part" of the story happens. Let me know if you want me to tell you in the author's note at the beginning of the chapter how big the jump is…**

**Anonymous Review Replies:**

**Kramy1223: I think I know what story you're talking about, and don't worry it'll be plenty different.**

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**On to the story! WAIT: by the way, I don't own Tangled.**

**Now, on to the story! :)**

Chapter 5

Eugene was at the Snuggly Duckling. He'd been coming during the week while Rapunzel was at the market, doing her best to make some money. He had originally come so he could help come up with a good story about Flynn Rider's death. He and Maurice (as he now remembered the hook-handed thug's name to be) had come up with some pretty good ideas. The other guys hadn't really seemed all that interested once they realized Eugene wouldn't let Flynn die in any embarrassing way. They just asked to be told what the final product was, and left Maurice and Eugene to it.

"Ok, so we want to do the one where we back you up to a cliff, one of us goes into stab you, and you jump off, falling into the river below?" Maurice asked.

"Yeah. Make sure the other guys know that that is the _only_ rumor they should be spreading," Eugene warned, standing up, about to leave. "I don't want to hear that I died from an oven fire while baking cupcakes."

* * *

Rapunzel was packing up her stall. The sun was setting, and she was supposed to be meeting Eugene near the bridge soon. He always came when the sun started to go down, so he could help her with the cart, and walk her back to the tower. She finished loading the last of the bowls, and began pushing the cart towards the bridge. She happened to pass by a tavern, and noticed Leslie going in. _What on earth is he doing here? He's usually still at the Snuggly Duckling…_

She went to one of the windows, and saw Leslie seat himself at the bar. After ordering and receiving a drink, he said something she couldn't catch. All of the guys near him turned and stared at him. Several of them appeared to reply. She realized what was going on when Leslie began telling a story, looking very dramatic: he was spreading the tale of Flynn Rider's death. She smiled as she continued towards the bridge.

* * *

He knew what the story was supposed to be. But what was one guy, out of dozens, taking a little glory for himself? He just couldn't help himself. "Yeah, you didn't hear? Rider's dead."

"Last we heard you and the rest of the Snuggly Duckling gang were helping him escape the noose! What happened?"

"Well, on the way out, he double-crossed us. He had picked almost every one of our pockets. That really ticked us off, see? So he took off running, and we were chasing after him…"

"...All he had to defend himself with was a frying pan. He was no match for my sword..."

"...He looked back to taunt us, y'know the way he is, and next thing he knows, he's kissing a tree trunk. That's when I threw my axe. He didn't stand a chance..."

"...Maurice was in front, so he grabbed hold of his collar with his hook. He hung him up on the end of a branch, and we started using him as a punching bag…"

"...We got him cornered on this cliff thing. There's a river running in the bottom of the gorge. Well, he took one look at our faces, looked at the water, glanced back up at us. He looked really scared, let me tell you. Then, he… he smiled. It didn't make any sense. The next thing we knew, he had jumped… Startled all of us, it did. We're sure he didn't make it. It was a long fall…"

* * *

The next morning, Rapunzel was back at the market. The woman in the stall next to her's, Gladys, was already there. "Hi, Gladys! How are you to—"

"RAPUNZEL! Did y'hear? Flynn Rider's dead!"

Rapunzel faked a look of surprise. "What?"

"Yeah, las' night, some bloke came in t'the tavern ove' yonder an' told 'ow 'e killed Flynn Rider. 'Twas one o' the Snuggly Ducklin' reg'lars. Said 'e ran 'im clean through! Isn't it great? We won't 'ave to worry 'bout tha' scoundrel anymo'!"

Rapunzel smiled. "Yes, it's wonderful." She was thinking hard, though. Leslie hadn't followed the story Eugene had come up with! Would the guards believe rumors that didn't fit with one another? How many of the other guys had changed the story?

* * *

That evening, Rapunzel was walking home with Eugene. He seemed a little happier than normal. _He must not know._

"I got to tell you, Blondie, being dead is the best thing that ever happened to me." He smiled at her. "Soon, I'll be able to leave the tower, get a job…" He sighed blissfully. "You have no idea what this means for me, what it means for…" he trailed off, looking at her. He stopped, suddenly, and looked at her. "I love you, Rapunzel."

"I love you, too, Eugene."

He took one of her hands in his own, and stepped closer. He leaned in, and her eyes closed. Their lips met, and she felt so happy. Eugene always made her so happy. Unfortunately, she'd have to spoil the moment soon, and tell him what she'd heard in town.

As they pulled apart, she groaned inwardly. It was now or never. "Eugene, um… earlier Gladys told me she'd heard Flynn was dead… And she said that Leslie told it, um… _differently_ than you'd arranged…"

He was staring at her, his eyebrows slowly drawing together. "What do you mean 'differently'?"

"Well, she heard that you were… 'run through' with a sword… by Leslie…"

"I swear, tomorrow, I'm going to kill that—"

"EUGENE! I'm sure he didn't mean any harm! And he was probably the only one to change the story… Everything'll be okay," she said, soothingly.

He sighed, and wrapped his arm around, planting a kiss on her forehead. She giggled. "I sure hope you're right about that, Blondie…"

* * *

"Your majesties!" A young guard had burst into the library, looking flustered.

"Yes?" Edmund inquired, he and his wife standing. "What is it?"

"There have been rumors spreading throughout the kingdom. Apparently, Rider is… _dead_."

"Dead? How? He was broken out of prison by that band of thugs, was he not?" the queen was extremely curious. She had never liked the stories she heard of Flynn Rider, and that dislike had sunk into hatred when he'd stolen her missing daughter's crown. She had closed the book she was reading, and tossed it onto the nearby table.

"Well, the rumors are all different, but apparently a couple dozen guys are saying they saw him die—"

"How did he die?" Susan repeated.

"Almost every guy that started the rumors claims to have killed Rider himself. However, there were three guys that claimed he jumped off a cliff while they had him corne—"

"Who are these people?" asked Edmund.

"The townspeople are claiming that the Snuggly Duckling gang were the ones who—"

"Weren't those the thugs that broke him out of prison? Why would they kill him?"

"We got all our information from secondary sources, so we don't really kn—"

"Well, what are you waiting for? Track down the primary sources! We need to know if this is true or not!" the king shouted. Sometimes, he was embarrassed by the lack of initiative within the guardsmen's ranks. He sighed as the young man scurried out of the room. It appeared as though they had finally caught a lucky break: Flynn Rider was dead, no doubt about it. There was no way that several dozen men would have lied about seeing Flynn Rider die. And three had shared a story; that was nothing to sneeze at…

**So how was that chapter? Personally, I enjoyed writing the various stories the thugs told. Did I get any laughs? :)**

**DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!**

**So, school's starting back up (for me) on Aug. 14… Chapter updates are probably going to be **_**really**_** slow once I'm back in school… :(**


	6. Chapter 6

**Can I just take a moment to say how much I love you guys? Because it's true: I love all of my readers SO much. Guess how many views I have now? 1367!**

**Replies to Guest Reviews:**

**Person: Ummm, rude much? Just kidding, and I know you were, too, sis!**

**Kramy1223: Yes, yes they can. I was torn between having them all take the glory for themselves, and having the story go through the "telephone effect", where each person changes something about it, on accident… I think that could have ended funnier, but it would have been harder for me…**

**Okay, so this chapter is going to start out a couple of weeks before Rapunzel's 19****th**** birthday, so it's like 10-11 months after the last chapter. Plenty of time for Flynn Rider to actually seem dead… And I'm purposefully being vague at the beginning… :)**

Chapter 6

Eugene was still jumpy when he went into town. It didn't matter that no one recognized him as Flynn Rider. When he'd first started venturing into town after about a month of letting the rumors penetrate, he never stayed long. He didn't want to many people seeing him, so that the risk of being recognized was decreased as much as possible. Now, he shouldn't have to be worried about being recognized. He figured he just needed more time to let the idea of being able to go to town whenever he wanted sink in.

Today, the jumpiness was worse than usual. He had a strange feeling that Rapunzel was going to find out what he was _really_ doing. She knew he still wasn't completely comfortable coming to town with her while she was at the market: she'd even suggested getting used to being around other people by getting a job on a farm or something nearby. They'd have more of an income, and he'd be "cured" of this worry more quickly. But he still rarely came to town with her. She knew something was up, and he didn't want to get caught.

He stepped into a small shop, located in one of the wealthier neighborhoods. He literally jumped when a little bell above the door rang, and had to bite back a yelp. He wasn't expecting a bell.

A short, round-ish sort of man came out from a back room. "Can I help, you?"

Eugene looked at the man, and blinked a few times. After a lengthy pause, he mumbled, "Yes."

"Looking for anything specific?"

Eugene allowed his eyes to wander over the shop, taking in everything, automatically estimating a value on each item. He'd probably never fully get rid of Flynn Rider. He'd lived that way too long for the habits and mannerisms to die. He forced his gaze back to the small man behind the counter. He began explaining his… problem.

The man nodded and smiled. "I completely understand, Mr.…?"

"Fitzherbert."

"Ah. Well, we have a wide selection to choose from," the man stated, bending to remove a box from the display case. Eugene noticed that the man was wearing silk: he made good money, and enjoyed spending it. He wasn't wearing a wedding band, though he was wearing a ring set with two decently sized rubies. Their sparkle revealed they'd been cut by a professional: they probably cost a small fortune.

Eugene made his way to the counter, still glancing around the shop, and occasionally out at the street. As he looked over the various choices he had, he tried to think of which would be perfect.

The man, whose name was Mr. Wells, kept trying to steer Eugene towards the more expensive options. _He clearly wants to profit as much as possible. Too bad I know what I'm doing._ Eugene's nervousness was probably what made Wells do it: he felt he could be easily swayed because he was nervous about buying. But he was nervous about being recognized or Rapunzel finding him, not about buying one of these.

Finally, he saw one that was… right. It was beautiful, and was... _her_.

"This one," he stated. "This is the one."

"Really? Are you sure you don't wa—"

"I want this one," Eugene said, a little more firmly.

* * *

(_A few weeks later, the night of Rapunzel's nineteenth birthday…)_

Eugene had taken her to the lantern festival again. Pascal was playing with the red-headed girls they had met a year ago (they had been so sad that Rapunzel's hair wasn't long anymore), and he and Rapunzel were dancing again. Only this time, together. Before he had joined her, he had spoken with the musicians. It was all part of his seemingly perfect plan. They would stop playing a few minutes before the boats were to be cast off, which was a few minutes earlier than usual. He had the item he had bought a few weeks ago in his pocket, and he had Rapunzel in his arms. Everything was going according to plan…

* * *

Edmund and Susan had decided to venture out and see the festival from the townspeople's point of view for once. They weren't dressed as king and queen, but they were still clearly wealthy. They had found a square, where a large group of people were dancing. The queen even caught a few glimpses of the girl who had painted their newest portrait, dancing in the arms of handsome young man. The man looked slightly nervous about something, but the girl looked like she was in heaven.

"Ed, look! There's the woman who painted us! I wonder who that man is?"

"Yes, I see her… I don't know who he is, but I think it would be safe to say he's her beau… Does he seem familiar to you?"

"Yes, but only a little."

"Hm. She looks happy, doesn't she? In fact, all of these people are happy…"

"Ed, just because this a sad day for us, our people don't have to be sad, too. I think they probably _are_ sad for us, but they are happy that this is an excuse to have a little more fun than they normally would. Let's try to have a little fun, too!"

"I think you're right, Ann. May I have this dance, m'lady?"

Susan smiled. "Of course you may."

Edmund swept her into the center of the square. They swirled amongst the other couples, occasionally passing the young woman and her beau. She had a huge smile on her face, and waved when she first noticed them. _She's so friendly, and care-free. It reminds me of how Susan used to be, before_, thought the king. He smiled down at his wife, who was smiling at the young woman. This day probably couldn't get any better.

Suddenly, the music stopped. The young man who had been dancing with the painter pulled her to the very center of the square. He knelt in front of her, and the crowd backed away a little bit, giving him space. The girl looked confused, and was slightly smiling down at the man.

"Rapunzel," he began, "I have enjoyed being able to spend the last year with you. But, over the past two months, I've realized I'm not as happy as I could be. I want to always be with you, Blondie, to always protect you. I love you. Will you marry me?" he finished, pulling a ring out of his pocket.

He stared up at the girl, Rapunzel, he'd called her. Her smile had grown larger as he had spoken. She knelt, too. Leaning in, she said, "Of course, I'll marry you, Eugene!" Then, they kissed.

The king looked at his wife and smiled. "Well, a moment ago I was thinking this day couldn't get any better, but it looks like I was wrong!"

"Yes… Ed, we need to get back to the palace! It's almost sunset."

* * *

Rapunzel couldn't stop staring at the ring on her finger. They were still in the square, waiting to send off their lanterns. The ring was silver, and set with four tiny alexandrites (a light purple jewel). It was beautiful and simple, not flashy and huge. She would have loved it if she'd seen it in the shop, but she loved it more because Eugene had given it to her.

She'd already received several 'congratulations' from the townspeople who had been in the square at the time. She couldn't believe she was going to be getting married. She couldn't believe she would be marrying Eugene. She was so happy, and she thought that nothing would ever make her happier.

**So, how'd you like that? Who could tell what Eugene was doing at the beginning of the chapter? Anyone?**

**Anyways, I've always assumed that Rapunzel was born in the summer: the trees are all green, no snow or anything, and the only one wearing a cloak is Gothel. So, I Googled birthstones, and one of the many different options for June was an alexandrite or a light amethyst… So, Rapunzel's birthday is now "officially" in June (for this story). Just wanted to clear that issue up.**

**REVIEW, and I'll see you at the next update! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Oh my goodness, guys I am really sorry about the wait! I started beta-reading a couple of stories, and had to work a couple of nights last week… And, on top of all that, I wrote a one-shot and started two other stories, even though I should have worked on this chapter… I'd had an idea for a future chapter here, but it was really depressing, so I made it a one-shot instead. It kept bugging me, so I had to write it to get it out of my system. You ever get an idea like that?**

**Anyways, this story now has more than 2,400 views. I'm probably going to stop alerting you to this number from now on… I just liked to share how blown away I was, but the feeling has sort of worn off. And I'm starting to feel like I'm **_**bragging**_**, you know? I don't want to come off as bragging about how many views my story has...**

**Guest Review Replies:**

**Kramy1223: Yes, I think a summer birthday suits her. I've actually been dreading writing the wedding scene, because I don't want to mess it up… :/ Thanks for reviewing, and I'm sorry I didn't update soon.**

**Person: Thanks for reviewing!**

**As much as I would love to, I don't own the rights to Tangled, any of the characters that were in the movie, or a decent-looking Rapunzel doll (mine's a poorly made, poorly designed Disney On Ice version)… :(**

**(There's been about a four month jump to now, so it would be in October)**

Chapter 7

The weather had cooled considerably. Eugene hated the cold, but Rapunzel loved all the seasons: winter for the snow, spring for everything blooming again, summer for the warmth and sunshine, fall for the amazing hues the leaves had.

They were getting married today. In just a few hours, they would no longer be Eugene Fitzherbert and Rapunzel Gothel, but Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Fitzherbert.

Rapunzel had spent a lot of time on her dress. She knew that having a dress made just for the wedding would be extravagant, so she decided to just make herself a nice dress to wear, one that could be worn on her birthday, and to anything fancy that they might get invited to (which she knew was very unlikely). The dress was a light green, which looked stunning against her dark hair and brought out her emerald eyes, with lace sewn into the bodice. The corset ties, a slightly darker green, were on the back, and the skirt was just long enough to gently brush the floor. She'd embroidered a beautiful vine pattern at the top of the skirt the stretched toward the floor, but tapered off around her knees. It had quarter-length sleeves, and the shoulders were the sam shade as the corset laces. When Eugene had first seen her in it, he almost couldn't breathe; she looked absolutely, stunningly gorgeous. He couldn't believe he was marrying her today.

* * *

It was a small wedding. They'd invited the pub thugs, obviously, and some of the friends Rapunzel had made at the market. They couldn't really afford anything to flashy, but Rapunzel didn't mind. Eugene didn't even care about having a ceremony; he'd been all for just stopping by the courthouse and signing whatever they needed to sign. But he knew Rapunzel wanted to do it the "right" way, so he'd caved (and Pascal had glared at him every time he brought it up, and had even gone so far as to stick his tongue into Eugene's ear the last few times he'd mentioned it).

They had originally been planning to have Maurice walk her down the aisle. Then, the official from the market divulged some rather… _interesting_ information.

_FLASHBACK:_

"_Good morning, Rapunzel!"_

"_Oh, good morning to you, too, Francis! Isn't it beautiful out today?" She loved the way September _felt_. Almost like everything was buckling down for October. _October._ She was getting _married_ in less than a month, now._

"_Yes, I suppose it is!" The man smiled. Rapunzel liked how his sandy-brown hair matched the color of his eyes perfectly. He had spectacles, and a somewhat lumpy nose, wasn't very tall, and was a little on the heavy side. But, he was a very kind man, despite thinking her mother was a good person. She let him compare her to her mother, even though she didn't want to know that they had shared some of the same habits. She didn't want to know that this is where she had sold all of Rapunzel's extra pots and candles. She didn't want to know that they had similar sense's of humor._

"_I, uh, wanted to talk to you… It somewhat concerns your upcoming wedding."_

"_What? What about?" She was worried that they would require records of her existence other than having a stall in the market to get married. But, surely, Eugene would have known about somet—_

"_It has to do with your mother, too. And, um, your father."_

"_I don't know who my father is. G—Mother never discussed it with me."_

"_Well, you see… Cass and I, we… well, we were courting, about nineteen years ago… And, well, there was this one night, where… well, uh..." He seemed very nervous about something. He was sweating a little bit, and kept tugging on his collar. Then, she realized what he was trying to say._

Oh my gosh… _Francis_ is my father? _She was so confused. But, at the same time, sort of… _happy_. She had a dad, and he was a very nice man. She suddenly blurted out, "Do you want to be my escort down the aisle? We were going to have one of our friends do it, but if you want to…"_

_He beamed at her. "Precisely what I was trying to get at, my dear. It would be an honor to escort you down the aisle."_

_END FLASHBACK_

So, Francis would be escorting her. Maurice had been more than happy to let the man walk her, even though he had been looking forward to it. "Aw, let the girl's father do it! He'll never get another chance at it. Unless, of course, you screw up somewhere, Eugene." Everyone had laughed at that.

Eugene was pulled from his thoughts when Maurice struck up a wedding march on the small piano in the corner. Rapunzel and Francis, who she'd already started calling "Father", appeared in the door at the end of the aisle. They made there way down the (short) aisle and stopped before the altar. Rapunzel grinned at Eugene. Francis gave her a hug and took a half a step back to the first bench. The priest began, his voice not very loud at all, as the church wasn't that big…

* * *

The next morning, Rapunzel woke up before he did, as usual. She got up and dressed in her usual lavender dress. Then, she sat back on the bed, and stared at the ring on her finger. _Mrs. Eugene Fitzherbert…_ She sighed. She had been wrong. Actually _getting_ married had made her much happier than simply getting engaged. She smiled. _Mrs. Eugene Fitzherbert…_ Her new name kept repeating itself over and over in her head. Eugene snored suddenly, surprising her. She giggled a little bit. He looked so funny when he was asleep. She played with his hair a little bit, suppressing giggles when he snored or twitched. She was about to go and start working on breakfast, when she felt an arm around her waist. She looked back at her husband. _Husband…_

"_Eu_gene! You've been awake the whole time haven't you?"

He fake snored again. Then, his face started twitching. He was trying to fight back a smile, but wasn't doing a very good job of it. Eventually, he gave up, and started laughing. "Oh, come on, Blondie, you were having fun playing with my hair, and you know it! I didn't want to ruin that!"

She smiled at him, leaning in. He kissed her, and she kissed him back, so happy to not need any reason to kiss her new dream.

**Okay, that was a **_**little**_** shorter than they have been, but I wanted it to end there… I had this other part in the middle, but the rating probably would have had to go to T, and I want the rating to stay at K+… Anyways, review! They make me happy!**

**(Okay, I just fixed the line-break thing... I keep forgetting to do that! And I also wanted to say that the church they got married in is basically a smaller, less extravagant version of the one from Tangled Ever After)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Well, I could have sworn I had already started this chapter once, but I don't know where it went… Guess this is what we get now! :)**

**I'm sorry that it has been so long… I would like to say that school is the reason I couldn't update, but the truth is I found an AMAZING SWTCW (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) author, and I was binge-reading all of their fics, some of which are **_**VERY**_** long… *sheepish grin* The rest of it though, is school.**

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**Cupcake: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like my story! She's probably not going to find out for a while… It's sort of the premise of my story, and I'd like to keep it going for a while. I've got a rough plan in mind, and, at the moment, it's not for a **_**long**_** time…**

**Kramy1223: Hi! Thanks for another review! I'm glad I'm keeping it K, also!**

**To anyone who I might have missed while responding, I apologize. I updated this and another story within a few hours of each other, and I got a large influx of reviews… I might have not replied to some…**

**This chapter takes place… Well, let's say a few months after their wedding. How does March/April before her twentieth birthday sound?**

* * *

Chapter 8

Rapunzel was taking a day off from the market today. She was (secretly) planning on looking at some shops that were for sale in town. Eugene had started talking about getting out of the tower, and she had been wanting to since the day he saved her.

She had known she wanted a shop with living space above it since that day she painted the sweet, older couple by the fountain. She smiled at the memory. Rapunzel could clearly remember seeing herself and Eugene living there, happy and easygoing, caring for their children. The children were the only unclear part of the memory: she remembered various shades of brown hair, a couple of gold heads, and smiles, but not the number of children that surrounded them. She couldn't wait to have children of her own.

Pascal squeaked from his perch on her shoulder.

"You like that one, huh?" she asked him, pointing out a smallish shop a few buildings down. Pascal squeaked again.

* * *

Eugene was in town. Rapunzel was supposedly at the market, but she had left before he got up today. He wasn't sure that she had actually brought anything to sell with her. He wasn't about to go check, though. No, he had plans for today, and Rapunzel acting a little suspicious wasn't going to mess them up.

He had found a shop that was for sale in _their_ square: the one she had danced in on her eighteenth birthday. It was directly across from the old mural of the king, queen, and lost princess. He was currently drifting through the shop, looking at the inside, checking the quality of the building, imagining how it might look as _theirs_. He was also trying to find the shop's owner amid the numerous plants. The nursery seemed to contain a small, overgrown forest. While it didn't prevent him from examining the structure, he was having a hard time working his way through the shop. Suddenly, a red-headed man popped up on the other side of a very leafy fern.

"What can I do fer ya?"

Eugene almost jumped back in surprise. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his train of thought. "I'm… I'm here to look at the place. Thinking about buying."

"Oh! Right, just let me… I need to find the missus, she's been handling the tours of the upper floors…"

Eugene sighed. Even the owner of the place was lost in here. The poor guy looked so confused. He followed the man around, while he searched the shop for his wife, quietly calling for her so as not to disturb the other people in the shop. Eventually, he decided it would be best to just head upstairs, just to make sure she actually _was_ in the shop somewhere.

"Honey? You up here? There's a man here that's thinking about buying."

"Stephen? I'm showing someone else around at the moment, can't it wait?"

'Stephen' turned to Eugene. "You mind waiting a few minutes? She wants to make sure everyone gets to see everything."

"That's fine. I was actually hoping you could show me some more of the shop area."

"I could tell you were one to admire the fine art of greenery."

_This is going to be a _long_ day…_

* * *

Rapunzel had run into the wife of the shop's owner as soon as she had stepped inside. The woman had immediately marched her upstairs, intent on showing her the living space of the building.

It was actually very nice, from what she could tell. She knew Eugene would want to look at the structure itself,and that he was a better judge of sound construction than was, but she hadn't seen evidence of any leaks, and there weren't holes in the walls, or cracks in the ceiling, so he would probably like it, too.

The woman, Grace, was very kind. She was a little heavy-set, and she was on the short side, but she was very sweet, and clearly liked Rapunzel.

"Dear, I really hope you decide to buy this place. My husband and I are planning on moving to the mainland. His parents live in Aldrania, which isn't too far from here, and their getting up there in age. I think you could do wonderful things here. Do you know what you're going to be selling?"

"Well, we have a small farm on the mainland, so we were going to sell produce, and I paint and do pottery, so we could sell my pieces as well. I can also make candles, so we could sell those. We're mainly looking for a place in town, to be closer to everything. And, we want to start a family, eventually, so we need a little more space than what we've got now." Rapunzel smiled some, thinking about their future children.

Suddenly, four red-heads tore through the hallway in front of them. Grace called out, "Girls! We have company, stop tearing around the house like that!"

One of the girls poked her head back into the room. Rapunzel gasped: it was the youngest of the girls who had braided her hair! The girl had clearly recognized her, as her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Guys, guys, it's that girl with all the hair, from the festival two years ago! She's in here with Mama; come see, come see!" she cried. Grace blinked, then looked over at her, obviously trying to figure out what her daughter meant: Rapunzel's hair wasn't that long, after all; not anymore.

Almost immediately, four girls were standing in front of her, asking all sorts of questions: "Where'd all your hair go?" "Why is it brown now?" Where's that man you were with?" "Oh _look_, a ring! Did you two get married?!" "Is he here?" "Can we play with your chameleon? He's _so_ cute!"

Rapunzel felt a little overwhelmed, but she did her best to answer each question: "I had to cut it, but that's a _really_ long story." "It's brown now, because… that's also a _really_ long story…" "He's at home, and, yes… We _did_ get married!" "Sure, you can play with him. His name's Pascal. I'll come get him when I go to leave." She handed Pascal to the oldest girl, and turned back to Grace, who seemed to have disappeared. Sudden;y, she appeared from around the corner from the staircase they had come up a few minutes earlier.

"Shall we continue the tour?"

* * *

Eugene was about ready to find out how much it would hurt to bang his head against a cactus. Stephen was absolutely _nuts_ about plants, and wouldn't shut up about them! _When I said I wanted to see more of the shop area, I didn't mean I wanted to look at his plants and hear about his business…_

They were finally back at the staircase, though. He could here two people coming down the stairs, talking about, he assumed, Stephen's children. He was surprised when one of the two voices began to sound suspiciously like Rapunzel. When the two people came around the corner, his hunch was confirmed: Rapunzel was gushing about "how adorable the girls were, and so good with Pascal, too!"

He mock-glared at her. "Aren't you supposed to be at the market, Blondie?"

She turned upon hearing his voice, and her mouth fell open, snapped shut, fell open, and snapped shut again. "Well… Ar—Aren't _you_ supposed to be at home?" she asked, struggling to tease him back.

He grinned. "I suppose you've got me there." She smiled back at him. "So, what do you think of the place so far, Rapunzel?"

Her smile widened. "I love it!"

* * *

**And we'll end the chapter there. Dang, I wrote most of this two weeks ago, and the rest in the last half hour… Don't judge me for any mistakes, 'kay? :)**

**Review! (And feel free to **_**nicely**_** point out any mistakes that might be in there somewhere.)**


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